-\ Episode 1 /- Kole Komatoto
Shelves full of weapons line up a large room with high walls, up on display decoratively and organized almost for spectating. Some shelves held basic swords and shields and equipment, others held incomplete models, still lying open in wait for final preparations or impending disassembling, but everything organized to some degree. Down at the end of the line of shelves, a wall of large spacious windows and outside, the streets of Beacon Academy glowing faintly from the moon's dim light. Under one such window, rest a lone workbench, titanic in size with countless drawers and crevices, trinkets and parts lying in disarray across the workspace of a man under the light of a single lamp, tinkering and screwing with some piece of equipment. With every turn of the screw handle small gears caught onto one another, slowly clicking and ticking something inside the mechanism.
Static broke the air smoothing out before finally a voice pushed the static aside, the voice was Ozpin, sounding as posh as always. Something about his pose, his stride, his presentation was always so posh, almost uncomfortably so, always seeming so modest and lofty, it seemed so suspicious, and reading through Ozpin is dubious a task enough to make anyone's mind go restless from uncertainty. But others see his personality as easily compatible, no doubt from his handsome demeanor and silver tongue, he has a way of attracting crowds like that. Still, this man couldn't help but see this man as a close friend, despite cynicism that led to the contrary, this man being Kole Komatoto. A certain amount of respect held between the two kept both at arms-length from each other, seeing each other not as equals, but as necessities in a way.
Ozpin called over the airwaves again, this time more clear and sterner than the last time, but anxious, unusual for someone as calm as him. Kole picked up his scroll, the thin glass sprung to life with light with Ozpin's face in the center, "yeah I hear you, whaddya need? It's pretty late now, you know, I wasn't expecting any calls", Kole continued working on his equipment, gears ticking and turning to a medley of their own. It wasn't unlike him to call in the evening, or any time of day really, but the night has always been his alone time, to work or build, or just be alone, but the quiet felt therapeutic and calmed his nerves.
"Yes, well there's been news of another White Fang robbery, in Vale this time, a place named 'From Dust Till Dawn'? Personally, I like the name, so sad to hear about the hardship the owner endured." Ozpin continued, going into detail about the heroics of a young girl dressed in red wielding a scythe, how she fought with such finesse. "But onto the important detail, she was in pursuit of that red haired man you've been on about… I think it was Torchwick wasn't it? She was about to make quick work of him, until someone swooped in and flew off with him in a helicopter," doors could be heard opening in the background of where Ozpin was, clattering short after, the sound of plates or dishes most likely, "The most troubling part is that whoever came to save Torchwick had some skill in Dust magic, or something similar, they held off Glynda before making a mad dash out of the area."
"Glynda, really? Surprising to hear she's out so late, I'll have to thank her for her hard work, but they managed to go toe to toe, you say… I'd be eager to meet whoever they are, a shame I can't be everywhere at once." The gears finally stopped ticking away to their rhythm, "But if the white fang have skill like that in their ranks now, this could be worse than we thought its been. But dust robberies, and petty crime still goes on, nothing's changed about their antics… its bothers me—" most noises could be heard on Ozpins end, more clattering and some low churning sounds "—and what the hell are you even doing, Ozpin, you're making a racket!"
"Ah yes, well I was so eager to meet this heroic young lady, her name is Ruby Rose and I think she has some serious potential. So young, but she has such skill, I'm sure she would excel greatly under the guidance of Beacon's professors." He talked in great strides of her in the highest regards, Ozpin sounded very obviously pleased with her to say the least, enough so to want to recruit her early, and by the Headmaster of Beacon Academy himself, no less. If someone were able to use a scythe as well as he boasted, though, it wouldn't hurt to help her by bumping her up the scale. "I would have invited you to the recruitment, but I was so sure you would be too busy to come along at such an hour. Speaking of busy, I've got someone to meet. And sorry about the call, I thought I should tell you about the White Fang's recent actions."
"It's fine, Ozpin, thanks for the tip. And have fun with your 'interview', I'll be listening in to see what kind of person she is, don't worry. I'll see you next time." Following the phone call, Kole sat in silence for a moment, bringing a hand to his face he exhaled loudly at first and continued taking deep breathes. It's been so long since Ozpin established the inner circle, but it always seems they're running around in circles, spinning their wheels, they've been grasping for straws just for the chance at gaining the upper hand against the evil that threatened their way of life. But what's to gain, what do all these events lead up to was anyone's guess. "Scarlet, open app, screen viewer..." Kole called out short commands, but the scroll hummed to life from the name Scarlet, and with every command an action was prompted on the scroll, screens opened up until finally, a live-airing was displayed from the corner of a small room. Looking down, Kole could see Glynda and Ozpin, was well as the little red hooded girl mentioned earlier, all gathered around a table in the center. Kole took one final breathe before turning back to his work all the while observing Ozpin's new interest, maybe even his new lackey someday, if someday would even still be a thing.
At first glance, he couldn't help but notice her small stature, obviously someone younger than usual, Ozpin wasn't joking. And her appetite, was, well, quite healthy to say the least, as Ruby sucked down nine cookies effortlessly, until the plate was licked clean. "Ah, so that's what all the clattering was, plates for cookies to try and soften her up, obviously that worked out flawlessly. Ah to be so young and full of passion." It was too much to pass up though, she seemed very comical as well, and Kole let out a small snicker.
"It's just, that I've only seen one other scythe wielder of that skill before, a dusty old crow." Ozpin said, his voice coming over the scroll's speakers, and what a scythe wielder he was that Qrow, but his attitude could use some readjustments. Kole had to patience for an alcoholic with no manner, his skill was exceptional but sometimes he just wanted to throw Qrow right out Ozpins office window.
"Ahdasmahunclcro-" Ruby stammered quickly in response to Ozpin, incomprehensibly, " – sorry, that's my Uncle Qrow! He's a teacher at Signal" Wait, Qrow's niece, was this girl? She did just say Uncle Qrow a moment ago, he thought, what are the odds? It was baffling, Kole sat looking at his scroll perplexed for the longest time. In all the time he had worked with Qrow, he had completely forgotten about his second niece altogether. Summer's child, how could he possibly forget, it had been so long since he even thought about Summer or her child, poor girl was too young to lose her parents, but what a shock to see how much time has actually passed since then. It had slipped his mind that Yang was attending Beacon this year as well. So much clutter, and work, and soon all time seems to pass you by in the blink of an eye, though, having two of Qrow's relatives so close together at school at the same time, it made Kole grimaced. "Hopefully they didn't take too much after Qrow…"
Ozpin and the rest began shuffling and leaving the room, the deal had been struck and now Ruby would be attending beacon though rather suddenly. Not much longer until the new students arrive and another year of schooling would begin, just another cycle in the cog of a machine. Rising to his feet, Kole put his tools down and turned the lamp off, leaving the large room nearly dark except for the dim moonlight bleeding through the large windows. Tomorrow is another day, and he had quite a lot of new research he was eager to catch up on, he knew nothing of this new student, and he was eager to see her in person. Poor Summer, it's a shame she couldn't see her daughter now, she's only just begun her life to being a huntress after all.
-\ Episode Two / Three / -
(Dream Sequence)
At first it was just Kole, resting his eyes, sitting in a courtyard taken back by nature and worn by time, large rectangular blocks act as benched with pretty gardens of red plants and flowers in the middle of them, and red trees envelope the sky, except for a small veil in the center with light bleeding through. At first he was sitting, listening to the nature and the music the various animals and bugs played and feeling the cool air on his face. He opened his eyes, and gazed upon the scenery for a while. When he blinked, he saw someone suddenly sitting next to him out of the corner of his eye. Kole rolled his head lazily to see who it was. It was a woman, of nice figure and pretty features, she smiled at him, but he couldn't see her face. Rather, her saw her, but her face, her features, in his mind these things eluded him, it was like he was staring through her, like glass. But she smiled to him, and he smiled back, and closed his eyes again for a moment.
The two sat for a while, and Kole opened his eyes again, this time he noticed another person, sitting on another bench, quite a few paces away. He couldn't see her face, but she too, had a beautiful figure and an ornate round hat, something about her was elegant and her hair was immaculate. It fell upon her right shoulder, long enough to reach her chest, sleek straight black hair, darker than the darkest black, drawing in all light like a void. Kole scanned her for a moment and then turned back to the first girl. He rested his eyes again. But soon, he heard humming and enchanting sounds filled his mind. Kole smiled weakly, and opened his eyes, first seeing the glass girl then turned to the black haired mistress. She and the bench she was sitting on seemed closer, somehow, but when Kole blinked, she disappeared. He looked on, stunned for a moment, then turning to the glass girl, but to his surprise, the black haired mistress was there instead. Shen smiled at him, and he smiled back. The woman laid her head on his shoulder, continuing her beautiful melody, and Kole felt content, his chest swelled with warm feelings and he rested his head on hers, listening blissfully to every hum.
###THE TIME IS NOW - 5:30 – AM – ALARM HAS BEEN SOUNDED. ATTENTION – THE TIME IS NOW – 5:30 – AM###
Kole's eyes shot open, feeling exhausted and his body ached and groaned, but his mind was already restless. He shrugged his arm off him and shut the alarm off on his scroll. He so desperately wished for this reality to be a dream, he wanted to be back in that courtyard with the red trees, but no matter how long he prayed, his prayers would go unanswered. Kole pulled himself up off the couched, he was still in the large room of book cases, a small living space of couches and loveseats, a kitchenette all gathered around a wall mounted tv. Behind Kole were the bookcases and on the other end of the living area was the workbench. Lifting himself up off the coach,