AN: How about this for a quick update, am I right? You guys are getting spoiled right now. Also, this too was written on the app, so in case I missed something in terms of mistakes, notify me in your preferred way. And, while I answered that review via PM, I still wanted to clarify Ruby's and Nolan's ages. Ruby is 15 here, Nolan is 17, so there's just a 2 year age gap between them. That being said: Enjoy!

gothboy. wxlf: But why? :(

ReaperStride: Thank you very much, I take pride in my sex scenes after all. Also, I wanted to surprise my readers with that start and good to see it worked, hah.

Silent Reader 6100: Raven's portrayal as a coward in canon was something that really irked me after her chat with Yang. I won't do that here. While she still lives after 'the weak die, the strong live'- creed, her motivations here will reach deeper. She is an amazingly complex character and it really, really bothered me that she ended up being more of a coward than anything else.

Tensazangitsu: Patience, Mist Thorn will be bloodied soon enough. Also thank you, it really makes me happy that you and my other readers like my portrayal of Ruby so much!

"Hello, mother."

"Ruby. Your call is a pleasant surprise."

Smiling at her scroll's screen displaying Raven's face through the vid call, Ruby wondered what to say. The decision for this call was more of a whim than anything else once she stepped off the bullhead and made her way to the guest students' dorm. Maybe she could help, she wondered, maybe she had this little crisis herself.

Raven and she were very alike, but then again, Ruby knew that Raven raised her after her own ideals so it was no surprise she turned out that way.

"Ruby," Raven spoke again, now looking slightly concerned at her adoptive daughter's silence, "are you alright, little gem?"

Running a hand through her dark hair as she was lying on her bed, Ruby shook her head. "No, I'm not...I'm starting to think I've made a mistake with this whole academy business."

"Oh? How come?" Raven leaned slightly forward on her sitting cushion, her elbow on her thigh as she rested her chin in her hand, genuine curiosity clear in her piercing red eyes.

"I don't fit here. It's getting more obvious every day and it is starting to get harder every day to deal with my team sticking their noses in my business. I wanted to get an insight on my birth mother here but I'm not learning anything!" Ruby's frustration was starting to seep through. The teenager prided herself on her calm and collected demeanor but that became less and less true as she felt more and more out of her depth in the social situations between her and the huntsmen and huntresses in training, the heroes of today, the romanticized slayers of monsters and protectors of the innocent.

"But you are learning, are you not?" Raven spoke with a tone Ruby was more than familiar with; this is a lesson and you better listen and listen well. "You are learning what your peers in the academies are like...or at least are like in general, as there are always those in it for nothing other than the money and glory- and there is nothing wrong with that-, but by learning about the attitude and ideals of the general student population you are learning about the kind of person Summer was by default."

Ruby was mulling the words over in her head. What Raven said did make sense. Sure, she would never get a detailed picture of Summer's personality by attending an academy but by learning about the general huntsman and huntress ideals she did learn at least a bit about what Summer stood for, fought for, died for.

And she didn't like it. "She would have hated me, wouldn't she?" Ruby didn't care much about other people's opinions of her but what child did not like to think that their deceased parent would have loved them, no matter what they turned out like? The thought of a saddened and disappointed Summer Rose made her heart clench in the worst ways.

Raven just let out a small chuckle. "No, my little gem, she wouldn't have." Raven was silent for a while, seemingly thinking of her next words as neither mother nor daughter were speaking until Raven continued. "Summer was...once Taiyang and she learned about Qrow's and my background...things obviously changed in our team. Tai was less than pleased, as you know, but still pleased enough to get me pregnant," Raven muttered the last part with a scoff, making Ruby chuckle, "but Summer...she just did not care. She would always appeal to a person's better nature. So kind-hearted. So idealistic." Raven let out a sigh. "I liked your mother, Ruby. I liked Summer a lot, even if her ideals and view of the world were foolish and naive. She did not deserve to have her heart and ideals exploited for someone else's war. She didn't see murderers and thieves in Qrow and me when she learned about our tribe. To her, we simply were friends with a difficult past," the Branwen chieftain laughed at that.

"So, you are saying..."

"I am saying that yes, you and Summer would have been different as night and day, were she still alive," Raven began, "but she still would have loved you. She would be angry at me that I have lead you on this path, she would be saddened that you have blood on your hands, but she still would have loved you and she still would have been proud of you."

Ruby nodded. Her eyes were stinging and she held down her sobs. "I'm sorry," she choked out as she wiped away stray tears with her free hand. "I don't know what's coming over me..."

"It's natural, Ruby. You are missing the time you never had with the woman who gave birth to you. It is to be expected," Raven gave the teenager a sad smile. "Even a fierce, strong and ruthless warrior like you are is allowed to grief from time to time for someone. You lost your mother before you ever even got to know her."

"But I did get another amazing mother in return," Ruby gave Raven a teary but genuine smile.

Raven, not expecting that, was surprised for a moment but looked grateful when she returned Ruby's smile. "Thank you, little gem. That...means a lot."

A few moments of silence passed once more between the two of them before Raven spoke again. "So, do you want to leave your huntress training behind?"

Ruby, now once again calmed down, knew her mother was expecting a certain answer. "No..."

"Good," Raven approved. "I understand the grievances you mentioned earlier, I went through them myself. All you can really do is adjust. You don't have to adopt their ways of living or thinking. Just...go with it for as long as you are there."

"I really don't want to 'go with it'".

"Then just be an obnoxious, bratty and hormonal teenager. You are the right age."

"Really, mother?"

"Ruby...all you can really do is adjust as the situation demands it."

Ruby sighed in frustration, her free hand running through her hair. "You already said that."

"I am aware, but you are making me repeat myself."

Ruby was about to retort when she heard the door to the dorm room unlock, making her sit up. "I think my team is back, so I've got to go. Thank you for the chat, mother."

Raven nodded in return. "Think nothing of it, little gem. Stay strong and make your tribe proud of you."

With that the call ended, her scroll still in her hand as she stared at her own reflection in it. She looked a mess with her tousled hair, her red and puffy eyes, her tear-stained cheeks.

She got up with a sigh and was on her way to the bathroom when her teammates intercepted her.

"Look, Ruby-" Dew began but interrupted herself. "Were you crying?" The blonde looked incredibly guilty.

Ruby rolled her eyes and waved her partner's worries off. "I just talked to my mother and it got a bit emotional, nothing to do with you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!" Ruby barked, making the other three girls jump in surprise, before taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry about that. Dew, Nebula, Gwen...look, all I ask of you is that you respect my privacy. Please."

"But we worry and just want to help!" Dew protested as Gwen nodded. Nebula on the other hand remained stoic and waited for Ruby to finish.

"And while I appreciate you worrying, it won't change the fact that I am a very private person who does not like to share things. If I need to talk I will come to you."

"Which is likely never," Gwen quipped but then blushed when three heads turned towards her.

Ruby shrugged. "I will always try to contact my mother first if I need advice."

"Fair enough," Nebula spoke for the first time. "I'll admit that we probably got a bit...aggressive with trying to get you to open up," the team leader scratched the back of her neck, looking bashful. "So...sorry. We all apologize and we all will do our best from now on to show more respect to the bounderies you set when it comes to your privacy."

"Thank you," Ruby gave her team a small smile. "I'll go clean up now."

"I really don't want to."

Some time had past since the Vacuan students had arrived at Beacon, the Mistrali students having followed shortly after with the Atlesian students the only ones left to arrive.

Ruby had heard about some of her sister's team's exploits, like interrupting a dust heist at the docks or fighting a stolen Atlesian Paladin. She wasn't sure what they were thinking or if they were thinking at all but things like that certainly didn't make it easier to keep her promise to Raven. How was she supposed to watch over Yang if said blonde apparently kept trying to get herself killed?

But for now she had way, way bigger worries. Beacon was hosting a dance and Nolan had asked her to go with him. She was shocked, worried that he had started developing feelings for her after all but he quickly put those worries to rest, saying that he figured they could just dance for a bit and hook up later.

She couldn't say no that.

But now, all dressed up, courtesy of her excited teammates, she waited for her date to pick her up.

"I really, really don't want to dance. I think I'm going to ask Nolan to just skip straight to sex."

"No, you won't," Nebula immediately burst her bubble before she flashed a shy grin at her date, which happened to be the leader's partner Gwen of all people. Ruby certainly didn't see that coming. "Since we arrived here I felt like our team had too many internal struggled...most of them revolving around you," Nebula held up a hand to stop Ruby from protesting, "which I know isn't entirely your fault. I just want for us to spend some time together out there, enjoy ourselves as a team and use this as a chance to bond."

"I know you are going to do some bonding in your partnership," Dew teased her childhood friend.

"Shut up, Dew," Nebula flipped Dew off with a blush tinging her cheeks.

When there was a knock on the door, Ruby let out a resigned sigh.

At least she stopped them from picking heels for her.

"Ladies. Ruby."

"Keep that up and you are not getting laid tonight."

The young bandit drew laughter and giggles from her team and BRNZ before a grinning Nolan offered his arm to her, Brawnz doing the same for Dew, who was smiling brilliantly, and Roy offered his arm for May, although Ruby wasn't sure if they just went as friends or if there was actually something going on. Glancing at her leader, she saw her chatting quietly with Gwen as they were holding hands.

"You didn't really mean that just now, right?" Nolan asked Ruby quietly, making the girl snort in the process.

"That's really the only thing I'm looking forward to tonight. If I'd deny you sex, I'd deny myself, so no, don't worry."

"That's a relief," Nolan chuckled making Ruby roll her eyes at him.

"If you are too annoying I can still find someone else. It's not like I'm unattractive and above ditching you for someone better."

"Someone better? Than me? After I've made you-"

"Can you two please talk about something else?"

Ruby turned around to look at Dew's pleading expression before shrugging. "Fine by me."

"She insulted my pride as a man!"

The dance itself was, as Ruby expected, not really for her. There was this one moment when that Jaune boy appeared in a dress for whatever reason, which was entertaining enough but ultimately it was a bore.

After a couple dances with Nolan, she found a table to sit with her team and BRNZ and they all just chatted to glasses of punch, which, to Ruby's chagrin, lacked something essential.

"Can't believe there's no alcohol in this."

"You drink alcohol?" Dew gave Ruby a look that lacked any surprise.

"Occasionally," Ruby answered with a shrug.

Dew was about to comment before she just threw her hands up in defeat. "You know what? I don't even know why I'm surprised."

"Hey, I don't drink much. Just on rare occasions and when I do then just a bottle of beer or something like that. My...uncle's a drunk, an alcoholic and I don't want to end up like him." A disgrace, I should also add.

"Alright, alright. Anyone else want a refill?" Nolan asked the group before Roy and Brawnz joined him.

"I'm gonna go and get some fresh air, this hall's getting stuffy," Ruby said and after getting some confirming nods from her team she got out on the balcony.

It didn't take long, however, for her eyes to narrow in suspicion at seeing a dark figure move from rooftop to rooftop just across from her position.

Whatever the person was doing, it couldn't be good. People sneaking in the middle of the night from rooftop to rooftop generally meant nothing good. She knew that all too well, considering how many times she was the dark figure on rooftops.

Ruby knew, she could get after that figure. She could interrupt whatever they were plotting. She could probably even chase and intercept them with her semblance right now.

But all of that would mean attention. Attention from Ozpin. From Goodwitch. From Ironwood, who arrived earlier this week for whatever reason. They probably would talk to Qrow too. Maybe even her father.

She didn't need that attention. No, she'd just keep her eyes and ears open, she'd inform her mother of what she saw first thing tomorrow morning and otherwise she'd keep herself out of the wizard's court's radar as much as possible.

Besides, she had better plans for tonight than playing hero.

Heading back to the table, she smirked at her friend's eager look. "Oh, alright, Nolan. I guess you weren't annoying enough to replace tonight."

"They are here, right under our noses! Cameras hacked! Several guards dead and nobody notices a thing!"

Ozpin's tired gaze followed General Ironwood's agitated pacing. It wasn't like the General was wrong. He was right, very right even. The problem was that being right about what apparently transpired the night before couldn't undo what happened.

"We are well aware of all of this, James," Glynda Goodwitch glared at the general.

"Good that we are all on the same page then! What are we going to do about it?"

"We have to assume that we have either been hacked or that important data was stolen. Our best people are looking into it as we speak," Ozpin spoke up for the first time.

"And? That's it?"

"What else would you have me dodo, James? We have no information on the culprit, not even their gender. Any eyewitnesses are dead, cameras were hacked. We have no leads whatsoever."

The general scowled before he allowed the tension he felt since the previous night to leave him. "You are right, of course, Ozpin. I just hate doing nothing...not being able to do anything."

"I understand, James, believe me I do." Ozpin sighed warily, before getting up from his chair and gazing out the window. "It does feel like the calm before the storm, does it not?"

"There's also Summer Rose's girl, Professor," Goodwitch interjected.

"One of Qrow's nieces? I thought she died. What are you talking about?" Ironwood looked between Beacon's headmaster and his deputy with evident curiosity.

"Apparently, a fifteen-year-old girl with silver eyes applied to Shade past semester and got accepted. She applied under the name Ruby Branwen and is here at Beacon, at this very moment," Ozpin explained.

"Branwen?! As in-"

"Yes, James. Qrow got confirmation from his very own sister a few months back. Raven saved Ruby Rose from the Grimm that supposedly killed her. Raven raised her and trained her and if I know Raven at all after these years, then we have to work under the assumption that Ruby knows everything."

"Girls, today we get to choose our first team mission, accompanied by an actual huntsman or huntress! Any preferences?"

"Something with action, other than that I don't care," Ruby commented while putting her boots on before double checking her satchel and weapon.

"I agree." "Same."

"Action it is then."

The four of them then made their way out of the dorm building and walked towards the amphitheater. The hall was filled with students from three different academiesacademies and the excitement many of them felt in going out for actual missions was electrifying the air.

NDGR reached the large screen displaying the mission types and took a look at what was available.

"Is it normal that some missions require more than one team?" Ruby wondered out loud.

"Yep, there's also solo missions available but those are for at least sixth semester students.

"How about this one, ladies? 'Search And Destroy'?"

"Sounds promising," Ruby nodded at her leader's suggestion before checking the mission details on her scroll. "Hm...Mountain Glenn, Grimm hotspots, increased activity...and we need a second team."

"What about BRNZ?" Dew asked, trying to find them in the sea of students.

"Nope, they already signed up for a patrolling mission in the Vale outskirts," Gwen told them.

"Wow, they are lazy."

Nodding at Nebula's assessment of team BRNZ, Ruby nearly jumped out of her skin at the sudden voice behind her.

"Hey, sis! How about we go on a mission together?"

AN: Obviously Mt. Glenn will have some differences now. Any guesses?