The scientist worked on his last invention with such fervour that it crippled his health. Dirt, scattered blueprints and a smell that told he hasn't bathed for days surrounded his once pristine workshop. In the middle of the night, adjustments where being made non-stop, because it needed to be perfect, and ready, for whatever lurks in the dark, always. Failure wasn't an option, because he had already tasted how dangerous life was. But it wasn't the ordinary daily life that gave him drive to continue despite the hunger, restless nights and budget cuts. There was the inexplicable, shrouded in mystery and his prosthesis where a painful testament to that. A survivor, he liked to boast, but the scars – the friends he lost, the limbs – haunted him everyday. A call disturbed his work and even bothered by the interruption, he took his phone.

"Yes?"

"James? Still unable to sleep I see."

"Ozpin. For what do I own the pleasure?"

After his sarcastic answer, a silence enveloped them. Only after a heavy sigh the conversation resumed.

"Look, I'm just worried about you. You know I can help and would be glad to, but you need to let me" angered, the aging man interrupted him

"Don't even get me started, mister 'I know it all magician'. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be in this situation in first place!"

"You asked me to show you that first, soldier."

They were veterans in a war against the unknown, for so long that it was hard to recall when it started. But bitterness made its way between them, nearly destroying their bonds.

"I can ask Glynda to help you. She will probably complain, but she is a competent woman and I assure you it will be for the good."

"Don't. Just don't…"

"Why?"

"I don't need a reminder of what I lost to disturb my work"

He loved her once and it was a long time ago, before… that.

"I… understand. How is Bartholomew going?"

"Sometimes he's a handful in his coffee induced coma, but a helpful addition to the project."

"Good to know."

Again, silence. Their talks were always surrounded by awkward attempts to reconnect, but the ghosts of their shared past always shadowed them.

"Do you have any news?"

"I'm afraid not. I'm not able to gather anything relevant lately. It looks like… they vanished. Probably scheming something again, if I had to guess."

"And Port?"

"He is still struggling. You know that old man, he won't go down without a good fight."

"Very well. I need to back to work. Later, Oz."

"Ja-james, wait, please, do me a favour. Take care of yourself. Please?"

"Goodbye Ozpin."

And just like that, the line went dead. Besides the jokes about Oobleck, Port was gone, in a hospital bed. For years now. A stubborn tear made way to his unkempt beard and disappeared, like his hesitation.

Unbeknownst to him, a red caped girl watched him as he got back to work. He couldn't see her, not yet. It was too early, but soon, it was fated to happen. She spared a glance to his wall clock, giddy with excitement. She loved to watch him work – the spinning gears, the electricity running through the circuits, everything – the mechanics involved fascinated her. And that thing, whatever it was, was awesome. Robotics escaped her realm of comprehension, so she decided to call it a golem. As far as she knew, it was pretty much the same.

Regardless, she, for once, wished her subject could live longer. Reaper's job was tiring and she was always anxious to get over the whole ordeal of taking souls to the afterlife as soon as possible. She hated to see people suffering in their last moments, so the quicker the better. But him? He was slowing decaying and even it didn't faze her. In fact, every action he took drawled her attention and she couldn't help but keep a smile so big that threatened to split her face in half.

Hours passed and eventually, his partner joined him. His speed was dazzling and his action always made her giggle with a childish glee and… oh no. It's almost time. Dawn approached and even though she knew the reason of his death, how it happens, was another matter. The redhead began to roam his workshop, watching out for gears and interrupters and whatever else filled the place, hopeful that she could find a clue to avoid the inevitable. Maybe, if she could save him, she would see it be completed…

Her haste made her clumsy and her scythe hit a lamp. Both men stopped, and watched the light oscillate with bated breaths.

"You… what are you? What are you doing here?"

"Ironwood? What is it?"

Ruby froze. He could see her, it meant he was close, way too close to his death. His green haired partner observed, confused. Who was he talking to?

"Eeehrm… I can explain?"

His eyes nearly jumped out the sockets and he panicked, advancing and tumbling through the mess. Suddenly, she felt like she was in the middle of a firework. Oobleback managed to dive behind a sturdy… something, she wasn't sure what that was. Well, a weird table for sure. But Ironwood was electrocuted and his skin fizzled and burned and ouch, that must have hurt. At least it was fast? She tried to see the bright side of the tragedy as the lifeless body hit the floor, without much success.

"Oh well. Work is work…"

She approached to collect his soul, while sparks still flied and fire roared to life. Meanwhile, something moved and she disregarded that as his partner trying to save his skin. Everything was going smoothly but she couldn't shake off the feeling that something was watching her. Glaring fiercely would be a better description.

Coughs filled the room and a hoarse voice tried to call something, but it was hard to tell what. Once her job was done, she looked over the dead body and found a pair of green eyes blazing at her, as if it was trying to burn her alive. Wait. It has a soul. It didn't have a soul a few seconds ago, what the heck is this?

"I'm Penny and I'm combat ready!"

A bunch of swords popped out her back and…what? It really hard to comprehend. The blades spun in a blurring speed and what is that green "Ooomph!"

Another explosion followed and the young reaper unwilling went through a wall. Once she got out the rumbles, the only though in her head, beyond a startling headache was:

"Today is gonna be a looong day…"


A/N

I would like to thank doomzoom for revising this one shot. I plan to write a long run story based on this, so you can think of it as a prelude.