Ozpin frowned at the display in front of him, lacing his fingers together in consideration.
He was looking at a trio of images, along with the accompanying data. On the left, it was a still image of Ruby and the right, an adult woman, smiling from behind her white hood and cloak. Below that image, a third was present. A blonde man smiling at the camera with folded arms.
The headmaster's frown grew as he read through the data, glancing between the images on occasion.
It was uncanny, the resemblance was so strong. The hair, eyes and face were virtually identical.
And DNA didn't lie. Unless the Archive was experiencing very specific malfunctions, there was no doubt about it.
The rumble of the elevator brought the green clad man back to reality. Moments later, the door slid open.
Qrow Branwen strolled into the office, slouching noncommittally as he often did.
"Hey Oz. Got your message." The younger man reached into his jacket, grabbing his flask.
"Welcome back to Beacon, Qrow." Ozpin nodded. "I take it your mission went well."
"As well as could be expected." Qrow shrugged, unscrewing his flask's lid. "So. What was so important that I had to get back here so fast?"
"You recall that incident with the King Taijitu a few weeks ago?"
"Yeah? You got a lead on the girl?"
"More than a lead." Ozpin confirmed. "Ms. Ruby is here. At Beacon."
"Really?" Qrow raised his flask to his lips. "Maybe she and I should go a few rounds. See what she's made of."
"You should. I'd be interested in seeing just what she is capable of." Ozpin agreed. "But there is the matter I called you here for." Ozpin raised a hand to turn the holographic display. "I think you should see this."
The moment Qrow saw Ruby's picture, he almost choked. When he read the accompanying information, he almost dropped his flask.
"Please tell me this isn't your idea of a joke." Qrow coughed, his throat burning. "This is-"
"Impossible? Hardly." Ozpin cut the younger man off. "Very unusually, certainly, but far from impossible."
"How?" Qrow's eyes darted back and forth between the two images before him. "She's been gone for…" The seasoned Huntsman trailed of in realization.
"The timeline does match." Ozpin confirmed. "Summer vanished sixteen years ago and now, a fifteen year old girl appears that, if the evidence is to be believed, is her daughter."
"It does, doesn't it?" Qrow sank into one of the empty chairs, wiping a hand down his face. "So, what now?"
The Beacon Headmaster frowned to himself, looking over the data once more.
"I believe," He began, "that it would be best to keep this between us. For now, at least."
Immediately, Qrow tensed.
"What?" He growled.
"There are too many unanswered questions regarded Ms. Ruby at this point." Ozpin explained calmly. "Qrow, we need to know more about her."
"What about Tai?" the younger man asked, folding his arms. "He has the right to know."
"Yes, but not yet."
"When, Oz?" Qrow's scowl grew. "I'm not just going to lie to him about this."
"I'm not asking you to." Ozpin fidgeted with his cane, a nervous tick in the otherwise calm man. "I'm just asking you to wait."
"How long?"
"Three months."
"Only three?"
"Then I'll make the call myself." Ozpin assured his associate. "Believe me, Qrow. I'd like to inform Taiyang as well, but we need more information."
Qrow frowned, clearly unhappy but seeing Ozpin's logic.
"All right, I get it." Qrow nodded. "So, what do you need me to do?"
Ozpin smiled. "Bond with your niece."
Ruby squeezed her eyes shut as the needle punctured her skin and the crimson liquid within filled the vial.
The moment the Airbus had arrived at Beacon, Glynda had brought Ruby to the facilities' medical center. Now, the violet cloaked girl was seated on the edge of a bed with a stranger stabbing a metal tube into her arm.
"D-do we really have to do this?" She asked as the nurse removed the implement.
"Sorry dear, but it's the rules. Every new student needs a full physical." The nurse, a kind looking woman in her early forties smiled sweetly as she unscrewed the vial from the needle. "Don't worry. We're almost done. Now, if you'd just lay back on the bed, we'll get this over and done with."
Slowly Ruby complied, easing her short form down.
"Now, please try not to move dear. This can be a bit jarring." The nurse informed her, still smiling sweetly as she tapped a button on a nearby console.
Two metal rings, one bellow her feet and the other above her head, unfolded from the sides of the bed, a bright blue light being projected towards her. Slowly the rings began moving towards each other, the light so bright Ruby had to close her eyes as it passed her face. When the rings were almost close enough to touch, they stopped for only a moment before moving back the way they had come. Eventually, the two rings returned to their original position and slid back under the bed.
"What was that?!" Ruby scrambled out of the bed.
"Just a little scan, sweetie. Don't worry, it's harmless." The Nurse reassured the younger woman, glancing away from her screen. "Alright, sweetie. We're done. You're the picture of health."
"Thank you." Ruby replied, casting a nervous look at the bed. "Can I go now?"
"Of course." The nurse gave the younger girl her sweetest smile as Ruby left her office, heading towards her temporary room.
The moment the door slid shut, the smile vanished, replaced with horror as she looked over her screens, swiping though images and covering her mouth with one hand.
"Good god…" She whispered.
Just what had been done to this poor girl?
Ruby glanced out the window of her temporary quarters.
Ozpin had given her one of the small rooms normally reserved for visitors. When the semester began, she'd move into the dorms with her partner and team.
Her team. Ruby frowned at the thought. She'd almost forgotten how the Huntress training worked. Her mother had made sure she knew the basics at least. Two pairs of partners on a team, one leader chosen by Ozpin. That was the set up.
Would they be nice, her teammates? Would she be able to talk to them?
Would they hate her, if they knew?
Shaking her head, Ruby turned away from the window, throwing herself onto the bed.
She didn't know how long she laid there, looking straight up at the ceiling. It could have been anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours before a knock on her door got her attention.
"Come in." She called. It was a strange feeling, granting someone permission. At home, the knocks were only meant to announce one of her teacher's entrances, never to ask her permission.
The door swung open, slowly.
Standing the door was a man Ruby didn't recognize and immediately set her on edge. He was older, his dark hair beginning to gray with stubble across his chin and was wearing what was probably an inexpensive set of dress clothes with button down grey shirt and a worn red cloak almost appearing to simulate a cape. But what caught Ruby's attention was his eyes. They were crimson and locked firmly on her own.
Ruby tensed. Despite the man's casual posture, it was easy for Ruby to feel the power this person possessed. This man was clearly a seasoned Huntsman.
"You Ruby?" He asked, his gravelly voice betraying nothing.
"Y-Yes. That's me." Ruby stammered out. "Can I help you, sir?"
"I've heard some things about you. Heard you're a scythe wielder and a damn good one."
"I guess so…" Ruby looked anywhere but at her visitor. It occurred to her that the Huntsman was between her and the only door in her room.
She was cornered.
"I'd like to see what you're capable of." The man gestured for her to follow. "If you don't mind."
"Alright." Ruby agreed, slipping Eclipse onto her hip.
The young woman followed the Huntsman through the unfamiliar halls, trying to remember the route back to her room but was only about fifty percent sure she'd memorized the route.
Finally, the Huntsman led Ruby into a very large room. It was almost circular, with a rectangular screen on the far wall.
"Ever done a tournament style match, kid?"
Ruby was brought out of her contemplation by the Huntsman's question, jolting in surprise.
"Oh! No, sir. I didn't get out much…" She mentally smacked herself at the lameness of her response.
The Huntsman didn't seem to mind. He strolled over to a nearby panel, pressed few buttons and the screen above them flickered to life.
On one side, it was an image of Ruby above a green bar, with the opposite mirrored with a picture of the Huntsman.
Ruby frowned at the image. When had they taken her picture for this?
"You ready?" The Huntsmen called from his place on the far side of the room. He had produced a rather large longsword with a circle full of gears visible near the hilt and held it in a loose grip, rolling his shoulders in preparation.
Taking a breath, Ruby grabbed her weapon and, flicking her wrist, let Violet Eclipse unfold around her, the dual blades, stabbing into the ground beside her.
"Ready."
Ozpin watched the feed with interest as Ruby and Qrow sparred, sipping a cup of hot coco.
The girl's style wasn't what one would expect from a scythe. She didn't stand her ground. Ruby was constantly moving, her semblance obviously a key component to her attacks. She even utilized her own recoil to further enhance her speed.
It wasn't until his door slid open that he minimized his screen.
Glynda stepped into his office, a concerned frown on her face as she swiped a few items across her scroll.
"Is something amiss, Glynda?" He asked, setting his mug down.
"Possibly." Glynda replied as she synced her scroll to Ozpin's console and swiped the information that concerned her.
Ozpin frowned a student file came into view.
"Yang Xio Long." Ozpin frowned.
"She will be arriving with the new students in a few weeks." Glynda explained. "If we want to keep Ms. Ruby's identity a secret, it is an issue that would have to be addressed."
"I see." Ozpin frowned.
Qrow would keep his word, of that the Headmaster was certain, but Yang was another story. Ozpin had heard more then once about how stubborn Taiyang's daughter could be. If she suspected Ruby's identity…
It seemed that his plan was about to become a lot more complicated.
