Red Like Roses - Jeff Williams

Ozpin enjoyed lunchtime.

Everyday during lunch break he would leave the school grounds and walk amongst the people of the city. He was such a busy man sometimes he felt it necessary just to remind himself that there was in fact life outside his school.

"Do you actually have a place in mind," asked Glynda Goodwitch, his deputy headmistress, "Or would you just have us wander aimlessly like usual"

Ozpin chuckled "Now my dear, you know I always go with purpose"

"Then tell where we're going then. We passed no fewer than two cafes, three coffee shops and one restaurant. Do you plan on having lunch or not?"

"Of course" the bespectacled man smiled, looking his blonde companion in the eye as he spoke "I was going to stop at one of those cafes we passed, but there was something I wanted to see first"

Glynda was about to ask what, when she heard the faint ring of guitar strings.

"Red like roses fill my dreams and brings me to the place you rest..."

The voice was that of a young woman, almost angelic in its sound. The deputy headmistress couldn't help but hang on to every word it sang.

Ozpin merely smiled as he saw Glynda's expression "That was what I wanted to see"

The pair followed the voice to its source. No much further down the street was a young teenager busking. The girl herself was unremarkable in appearance; baggy denim jeans and a red hoodie hiding most of her features. That being said, her voice was like a siren's; drawing in many a passerby, their change falling into the little brown shoebox before her.

"Black the beast descends from shadows, yellow beauty burns gold"

The girls hand flew up and down the strings like lightning, notes ringing out a fast-paced tune that made Glynda's heart stir. Whoever the girl was, she was talented.

"I came across the girl while I was shopping for groceries last week" Ozpin told her "I had hoped to speak to her, but she had left before I had the chance"

The pair waited until the girl's song reached its climax, her fingers blurring as she sped up to her grand finale. The small crowd dispersed when she finished, a couple of them giving a polite applause before going about their business. Ozpin and Glynda seized the moment to approach, Ozpin dropping a $20 bill into her box.

The girl raised her head at the sound, catching sight of the bill as it fell "Thanks mister!" she smiled.

Up close, Glynda could make out the girl's features under her hood. She was a young teenage girl, like she had guessed, with pale skin, dark hair and a pair remarkable bright gray eyes. They seemed to shine like silver in the daylight.

"No, thank you for such a lovely performance" Ozpin smiled at the girl "I must say I did not recognise that song you played"

"Well..." the girl shyly smiled "That's because I, um, wrote it myself"

Ozpin glanced at Glynda with a smile before continuing to speak to the girl "Tell me child, what's your name?"

"Ruby Rose sir"

Ozpin held out his hand "A pleasure to meet you, Miss Rose. My name is-"

"You're Ozpin" Ruby interuppted, shaking his hand "You're the headmaster of that Beacon music school. I, uh, saw your picture"

Ozpin nodded "Indeed. I run Beacon Academy. Everyday, we take in young and talented individuals and try to mold them into the stars of tomorrow"

Glynda smiled. Ozpin had said this speech so many times she was positive she could repeat it word for word (while asleep at that).

"I know" Ruby nodded "My sister goes there. Yang Xiao Long"

Ah, Yang. Glynda knew her very well. While she found Yang's preferred instrument, drums, to be pretty irritating and loud she could not deny the woman's enthusiasm for the art. And it was that love that Ozpin found to be the most important quality in his students.

"Well then, Miss Rose" Ozpin spoke "You probably know why I'm here then"

"Are you offering me a place at Beacon?" the girl asked, the faintest trace of hopeful excitement in her voice.

"And if I was? Would you like that?"

Ruby's smile was, well, adorable (Glynda never thought she'd ever use that word to describe a person) "More than anything"

Ozpin shared a look with Glynda, a silent question: Do you approve? Naturally, she did and nodded back "Well alright then. We'll have to organise the paperwork with your father, you live with Yang so we already have most of your contact info. But regardless," he held out his hand again...

"Welcome to Beacon"

Authors Note

So this was a little idea I had bouncing around my head for a while before actually typing up. Essentially this will be just a series of one-shots inspired by songs.

Favourite/Follow, all that jazz. If you have any specific requests be sure to leave them in the reviews with the song and artist. I'll be sure to take them into consideration.